My parents' dog is not allowed inside the house. I let her inside for two nights because it was very hot -- 105F -- outside. But now any time I go inside and leave her alone, she's frantic and begs to be let in. She already has separation anxiety. [more inside]
posted by mmmleaf
on Jul 3, 2016 -
37 answers

It seems that we have a dog coming to live with us tonight. She's a rescue and apparently doesn't know how to be a dog. How do we teach her this? [more inside]
posted by backseatpilot
on Sep 7, 2015 -
28 answers

I have an elderly beagle who has always been abnormal. Now she seems to really be going crazy for real and it's driving us a little crazy. What's the best way to handle this? [more inside]
posted by geeky
on Feb 5, 2015 -
14 answers

So, our dog has been a bit... weird lately, not quite like her usual self, and I'm wondering if anyone else has experienced this sort of thing or has any theories about why? [more inside]
posted by taz
on Dec 25, 2014 -
14 answers

We recently adopted an incredibly sweet dog from a local shelter-- Frances is a three year old dachshund/chihuahua mix. She's super mellow and calm when we're with her-- never barks or chews, perfectly housetrained, doesn't react to other dogs or people when on walks... basically perfect and incredibly lovable... EXCEPT... when left alone, she becomes a nightmare destructo-dog. [more inside]
posted by bonheur
on Aug 24, 2014 -
12 answers

I have an 8-10 year old, very strange, beagle. Last night I found her with eyes open, but unresponsive, clawing and biting at the wall. Is this seizure activity, night terrors, or something else? [more inside]
posted by geeky
on Aug 23, 2014 -
10 answers

After an incident involving a trip to the emergency vet, I need MeFi's advice on how to keep our dogs well-behaved when we're not around. They are delightful when we're home. Minor chewing of shoes and bringing snails into the house, typical puppy stuff but nothing we can't handle. When we're not home... jumping onto tables and countertops, and using dining chairs as a way to reach things on high shelves which are then destroyed and eaten. How do we teach them not to jump onto tables? Obligatory photo inside, as well as more details. [more inside]
posted by harriet vane
on Jan 6, 2014 -
30 answers

A friend's dog has an unusual behavior. It he sees someone with shoes on, in other words walking or sometimes just standing, he goes nuts. I goes into a play bow and starts biting the shoes. Sometimes he succeeds in biting through a tennis shoe, for example, which is painful. If you move your feet, he thinks you are playing and becomes more aggressive. He will stare at the shoes looking for the slightest hint of movement. If someone tries to correct him, usually by saying no loudly, he pulls back and barks and maybe takes a swipe at a hand and becomes aggressive. I can sometimes get him to stop by holding on to his collar until he snaps out of it. But that is difficult to do sometimes.
Otherwise this dog could care less about shoes. If there is a shoe on the floor he leaves it alone. But put on shoes and watch out.
Any ideas how to correct this behavior?
He is about a 2 year old lab mix, if that matters.
posted by jtexman1
on Dec 27, 2013 -
16 answers

So, we recently moved from a small apartment to a big apartment, about 3x size of the old one. Tiny dog has adjusted well, except for one thing: he runs around the house, to get from Point A to Point B. Walking no longer occurs. We'd really like him to walk like a civilized beast again, if possible. [more inside]
posted by juniperesque
on Apr 9, 2013 -
10 answers

So here is the traditional routine: I get up in the morning or I come home from work. I get dressed or change out of work clothes. Here is what happens... [more inside]
posted by michellenoel
on Feb 26, 2013 -
13 answers

My wife and I have a corgi/heeler mix who will be two years old in May. She's an absolute sweetheart most of the time but gets into foul moods occasionally where she will snarl and bite. Once she's in a bad mood she tends to stay that way for a few hours. How can we correct that behavior? [more inside]
posted by The Winsome Parker Lewis
on Jan 10, 2013 -
11 answers

My dog "chews" bed sheets. She leaves no holes, which is why I use quotation marks. She sits on the floor close to the bed and nibbles with her front teeth on the edge of the bed. She's done this for years; she's an eight year old pit bull. Does anyone know why she does this?
posted by Kazimirovna
on Sep 5, 2012 -
11 answers

In our two cat, one dog household, we are considering purchasing one of the many available Ultrasonic bark control systems (not the Collar versions!) Would the emitted sounds be audible to / affect the cats in the same way its intended to do for the dog? [more inside]
posted by Barmecide
on Apr 7, 2012 -
9 answers

I had a 13 year old standard poodle that unfortunately developed lymphoma. For those 13 years, we were as close as a dog and owner could get. When she no longer could stand, the decision was made to put her to sleep. On her last day, I went to pick her up to carry her to the vet's appointment. I was utterly surprised ( and disappointed) that she viciously bit my thumb and would not let go. Why would such a gentle 13 year old LOYAL dog do that at the end?
posted by Mckoan1
on Mar 24, 2011 -
19 answers

A close friend of mine has a young dog with tendency to run off
without her when let off-leash. Any suggestions on how to curb this bad behavior? [more inside]
posted by Kikkoman
on Jan 14, 2011 -
29 answers

We moved two weeks ago, and my dog is still in Super-Bark-Mode at everything that moves. How can I get her to chill out and be a happier dog? [more inside]
posted by actionpact
on Oct 30, 2010 -
8 answers

So this is a typical example of what my dog does when I arrive at home. He is 5 years old and has always been this way. Help us get him under control. [more inside]
posted by morganannie
on Oct 25, 2010 -
31 answers

I was just sitting outside on my friend's lawn with my dog, who was tied to a tree branch about 20 feet away (that I checked for strength before tying her up) and quietly watching squirrels. A woman walked by and smiled at us, and my dog lunged at her, breaking the tree branch, and proceeded to jump up on her and ram her nose into her, barking. I feel absolutely terrible and have no idea how to fix this. [more inside]
posted by emilyd22222
on Sep 17, 2010 -
31 answers

Why is my normally well behaved dog suddenly aggressive toward preteen and teenage boys? I have a 2 1/2 year old male german shepherd who is very well trained and usually extremely happy and well behaved. He is from a breeder that has 30 years of experience breeding working german shepherds and his easy going temperment is one of the things we love about him. Until a week ago I would not have hesitated to let any toddler or child pet him or interact with him. Suddenly he has exhibited an extreme dislike for preteen and teenage boys. [more inside]
posted by anonymous
on Sep 9, 2010 -
22 answers

I'd like to add a kitten to the family. However, I have a toy fox terrier which makes this difficult. Every cat I've had in the past would eventually begin stalking the dog, pawing him on his hindquarters and biting his neck. The dog would cower 24/7 and I ultimately needed to keep them in separate areas of the house, at all times, to protect him.
I've tried various methods to prevent this, but since the last time I've owned a cat was over five years ago I'm open to re-trying anything.
posted by biochemist
on Jun 16, 2010 -
12 answers

When is it time to get rid of the dog? Fiance's poorly-trained dog has bitten me three times. I'm nervous about moving in with them and our future children. What do I do? [more inside]
posted by emkelley
on Nov 3, 2009 -
52 answers

Say I wanted to make an earnest stab at shifting my career path to becoming a canine behaviorist/trainer/rehabilitator. What would my best options be for training/certification and what jobs could I expect to find afterwards? [more inside]
posted by Ufez Jones
on May 14, 2009 -
3 answers

I recently adopted a 2 yr. old Shih Tzu from the pound. He's been to the vet and has a clean bill of health. He's settled very well into things here and I'd like to start working on training him. After reading about several different methods I find clicker training the most interesting but I've never done it before. Anyone have any suggestions or tips? [more inside]
posted by lysistrata
on Nov 26, 2008 -
10 answers

I need advice from people who are great at understanding canine behavior and solving related issues for what is a rather thorny (and potentially tragic, dog-health-wise) situation for this inexperienced dog owner. I'll make it brief, then tell the (much, much) longer story inside. We have a new rescue dog (our first dog; female, a little under 2 years old) who is just now beginning to feel really at ease and at home after being with us for a month, and all our efforts towards house training have finally paid off, and she is doing beautifully... But, we are going to have to take care of a friend's un-neutered young male dog for two-four weeks in our small apartment, and there are very many things that worry me a great deal, and I really need good advice. Nearly full explanation follows, and it's very long - so sorry! - but it's important stuff to me. Bear with, if at all possible. [more inside]
posted by taz
on Jun 19, 2008 -
39 answers

We want to get a new puppy and we are moving to a new house. Should we wait to introduce the puppy to the other pets once they are used to the new house, or make all the changes at the same time? [more inside]
posted by loryjade
on Apr 12, 2008 -
3 answers

Why does my dog have a fear of storm drain openings along curbs and gutters? I have a small (10 lb) dog who absolutely will not walk past a gaping storm drain. On our walks, every time we encounter a drain, I have to pick her up and carry her past. Any ideas why she has this fear, and any suggestions on how to cure her of it?
posted by retiree
on Apr 30, 2007 -
19 answers

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